2026 WGU C957 APPLIED ALGEBRA OA EXAM PREP: COMPLETE PRACTICE QUESTION BANK EXAM
P R O F E S S I O N A L P R A C T I C E M AT E R I A L S
2026 WGU C957 Applied
Algebra OA Exam Prep:
Complete Practice Question
Bank
Verified Answers Exam Ready With Rationales
70 QUESTIONS
DOCUMENT OVERVIEW
This document provides a comprehensive practice question bank for WGU C957 Applied Algebra, featuring
70 questions with pre-provided correct answers and detailed explanations, including diagrams. It serves as
an invaluable resource for students to study and review applied algebra concepts for certification
preparation. The material is structured to facilitate understanding through example problems and their
complete solutions.
CONTENTS
01 Exponential and Logarithmic Models Q1–Q14
02 Business and Financial Applications Q15–Q69
03 Interpreting Graphs and Data Q70–Q70
E XA M Q U EST I O N S
Q1 QUESTION 1 OF 70
Page 1
,A chain of stores started out as 100 stores the first year, then increased by 400 stores the following year, and then
increased each year for the next six years. The function below tracks the growth of the chain during the first eight years.
Which statement about the average rate of change is correct?
CORRECT ANSWER
The average rate of change from years 1 to 4 is less than the average rate of change for years 4 to 7.
RATIONALE
The function exhibits accelerating growth, meaning the rate of increase itself is increasing, thus the average rate of change over
later intervals will be greater than over earlier intervals. This principle of increasing marginal growth directly supports the
comparison of average rates of change between consecutive periods.
Q2 QUESTION 2 OF 70
A high-interest loan company uses the function L( d) = 100 e 0.02 d to calculate late fees, L, for payments overdue by d
days. What does L(67) represent?
CORRECT ANSWER
L(67) is the amount due in late fees for a payment that is 67 days overdue, which would be $381.90.
RATIONALE
The function L(d) models late fees as an exponential growth dependent on the number of days overdue, so L(67) specifically
calculates the monetary late fee amount for a 67-day delinquency. This represents the application of the given exponential model
to a specific input value representing days overdue.
Q3 QUESTION 3 OF 70
Page 2
,A bank uses the function A( t) = 1000(1.023) t to calculate an account balance, A, after t years. What is the average rate of
change of the account balance from t = 2 to t = 12?
CORRECT ANSWER
The account will increase by $26.72, on average, each year.
RATIONALE
The average rate of change is calculated by finding the difference in account balances at t=12 and t=2, then dividing by the
difference in time (12-2), representing the mean annual increase over that interval. This models the slope of the secant line
connecting the two points on the exponential growth curve.
Q4 QUESTION 4 OF 70
A company uses the function C = 15 e –n + 10, which is shown in the graph below, to model the average cost per toy
produced, C, where n is the number of toys produced. How should this horizontal asymptote be interpreted?
CORRECT ANSWER
As the number of toys produced increases, the average cost per toy tends toward $10.
RATIONALE
The horizontal asymptote of y = 10 represents the limiting average cost per toy as production volume (n) approaches infinity. This
indicates that, with sufficient scale, the fixed costs are distributed such that the average cost plateaus near the variable cost per
unit.
Q5 QUESTION 5 OF 70
Page 3
, A cat population in a small town can be modeled with a logistic function and estimated with the table below, where t = 0
represents the cat population, P, in the year 2000, and t is measured in years.
tP(t) 124 25531034150
When does the cat population reach 110?
CORRECT ANSWER
During 2003
RATIONALE
The logistic model predicts the population grows from 24 in 2000 (t=0) to 150 in 2005 (t=5), crossing the threshold of 110 during
the year 2003 (t=3). This represents the inflection point where population growth begins to slow.
Q6 QUESTION 6 OF 70
A company has tracked the depreciating value of a company car over a 10-year period. The company performed a
regression and modeled the value of the car, V, at year x with the function V( x) = 26,878.23 e –0.21x with r 2 = 0.98. Would it
be appropriate to use this model to make a prediction for the value of the car when the car is 12 years old?
CORRECT ANSWER
Yes, it would be appropriate because the data has a strong correlation, and 12 is within the range for accurate extrapolation.
Page 4
P R O F E S S I O N A L P R A C T I C E M AT E R I A L S
2026 WGU C957 Applied
Algebra OA Exam Prep:
Complete Practice Question
Bank
Verified Answers Exam Ready With Rationales
70 QUESTIONS
DOCUMENT OVERVIEW
This document provides a comprehensive practice question bank for WGU C957 Applied Algebra, featuring
70 questions with pre-provided correct answers and detailed explanations, including diagrams. It serves as
an invaluable resource for students to study and review applied algebra concepts for certification
preparation. The material is structured to facilitate understanding through example problems and their
complete solutions.
CONTENTS
01 Exponential and Logarithmic Models Q1–Q14
02 Business and Financial Applications Q15–Q69
03 Interpreting Graphs and Data Q70–Q70
E XA M Q U EST I O N S
Q1 QUESTION 1 OF 70
Page 1
,A chain of stores started out as 100 stores the first year, then increased by 400 stores the following year, and then
increased each year for the next six years. The function below tracks the growth of the chain during the first eight years.
Which statement about the average rate of change is correct?
CORRECT ANSWER
The average rate of change from years 1 to 4 is less than the average rate of change for years 4 to 7.
RATIONALE
The function exhibits accelerating growth, meaning the rate of increase itself is increasing, thus the average rate of change over
later intervals will be greater than over earlier intervals. This principle of increasing marginal growth directly supports the
comparison of average rates of change between consecutive periods.
Q2 QUESTION 2 OF 70
A high-interest loan company uses the function L( d) = 100 e 0.02 d to calculate late fees, L, for payments overdue by d
days. What does L(67) represent?
CORRECT ANSWER
L(67) is the amount due in late fees for a payment that is 67 days overdue, which would be $381.90.
RATIONALE
The function L(d) models late fees as an exponential growth dependent on the number of days overdue, so L(67) specifically
calculates the monetary late fee amount for a 67-day delinquency. This represents the application of the given exponential model
to a specific input value representing days overdue.
Q3 QUESTION 3 OF 70
Page 2
,A bank uses the function A( t) = 1000(1.023) t to calculate an account balance, A, after t years. What is the average rate of
change of the account balance from t = 2 to t = 12?
CORRECT ANSWER
The account will increase by $26.72, on average, each year.
RATIONALE
The average rate of change is calculated by finding the difference in account balances at t=12 and t=2, then dividing by the
difference in time (12-2), representing the mean annual increase over that interval. This models the slope of the secant line
connecting the two points on the exponential growth curve.
Q4 QUESTION 4 OF 70
A company uses the function C = 15 e –n + 10, which is shown in the graph below, to model the average cost per toy
produced, C, where n is the number of toys produced. How should this horizontal asymptote be interpreted?
CORRECT ANSWER
As the number of toys produced increases, the average cost per toy tends toward $10.
RATIONALE
The horizontal asymptote of y = 10 represents the limiting average cost per toy as production volume (n) approaches infinity. This
indicates that, with sufficient scale, the fixed costs are distributed such that the average cost plateaus near the variable cost per
unit.
Q5 QUESTION 5 OF 70
Page 3
, A cat population in a small town can be modeled with a logistic function and estimated with the table below, where t = 0
represents the cat population, P, in the year 2000, and t is measured in years.
tP(t) 124 25531034150
When does the cat population reach 110?
CORRECT ANSWER
During 2003
RATIONALE
The logistic model predicts the population grows from 24 in 2000 (t=0) to 150 in 2005 (t=5), crossing the threshold of 110 during
the year 2003 (t=3). This represents the inflection point where population growth begins to slow.
Q6 QUESTION 6 OF 70
A company has tracked the depreciating value of a company car over a 10-year period. The company performed a
regression and modeled the value of the car, V, at year x with the function V( x) = 26,878.23 e –0.21x with r 2 = 0.98. Would it
be appropriate to use this model to make a prediction for the value of the car when the car is 12 years old?
CORRECT ANSWER
Yes, it would be appropriate because the data has a strong correlation, and 12 is within the range for accurate extrapolation.
Page 4
